1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to image producing machines and, more particularly, to image producing machines including a pivoting pressure role under a high load for achieving improved image quality in a DTP, Solid-Ink-Jet (SIJ) web process.
2. Background of Related Art
Direct-to-Paper (DTP)/Media printing involves the injection of ink or the like directly onto the print media (e.g., web, paper, etc.) to form an image or the like. Before the image can be fused/squished/spread to the print media, the print media with the image provided thereon passes by non-contact heat panels or mid-heat panels to bring the injected image to the correct melting point for image fixing.
In general, SIJ type printers employ phase change inks that are in a solid phase at ambient temperature, but exist in the molten or melted liquid phase (and can be ejected as drops or jets) at the elevated operating temperature of the printer. At such an elevated operating temperature, droplets or jets of the molten or liquid ink are ejected from a printhead device of the printer onto the printing media. Such ejection can be directly onto a final image receiving substrate, or indirectly onto an imaging member before transfer from it to the final image receiving media. In any case, when the ink droplets contact the surface of the printing media, they quickly solidify to create an image in the form of a predetermined pattern of solidified ink drops.
It has been discovered that relatively effective image transfer in an ordinary speed (12-32 copies per minute) solid ink printer can be achieved from having the substrate pre-heated or heated prior to image transfer. Conventionally, a single stage pre-heater has been used to transfer heat to the substrate prior to the substrate being registered for image transfer. Unfortunately, it has been found that in relatively high speed (40 and more copies per minute) solid ink printers, for example, a single stage heater tends to transfer insufficient heat or too much heat to the substrate. This is because such printers call for substrates to be transported at the high substrate transport speeds, such as approximately 1524 mm/sec or 60 in/sec.
Due to these increased process speeds, non-contact mid-heat panels may be heated to about 700° C., thus consuming a significant amount of energy. If the print media were to touch the mid-heat panels scorching of the media or even a fire could occur.
Accordingly, a need exists for a fixer subsystem including a simpler preheating system to replace the mid-heat panels, thereby saving machine and energy cost.